22 responses to “Do under-2s deserve Christmas presents?”

I don’t think there is any point in spending a fortune on a child who doesn’t know what’s going on and I don’t think family should feel pressure to buy the gifts either. Perhaps there should be a little understanding amongst family members that Christmas Presents shouldn’t be bought until they are 3/4 or even 5 and then only if they want too. If they want to buy something maybe vouchers for the child to have some clothes or something they need is a better idea?

Hey Kim!
That’d be a wee shame, leaving out a family member just cause they’re too young! Babies get bought everything for them anyway right, so what’s the problem with wrapping it up one day of the year. Besides, I thought the joy of gifts was in the giving, so If it makes you happy to give wee Jimmy or Jessie another cuddly toy wrapped up in sparkly paper then why not. Although, I do think it’s daft to go crazy and spend more money than you can afford.
I think what I’m saying is, if you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t feel bad about not buying a two year old a Christmas present. However, people love buying babies things, so they’ll never be left out!
Radio Scotland Kim, well done!! will I be able to listen on iplayer at a later date?
Caroline x

My tuppence-worth comes as an honourary auntie, not as a mummy, but I hope it’s still valid enough… I’ve just been out shopping for my two “nephews” who have both just turned two and was talking about this exact thing in Waterstones with the teller and another customer. I think there is an obligation to buy presents for wee ones for several reasons: because you love them and it’s the status quo to show love by buying ‘stuff’ and the status quo is rarely challenged, because you don’t want to look cheap when other people have bought them things and because it’s the done thing to spoil them. When I buy presents for friend’s children I wonder whether I’m buying them for the child or for the parents. It does occur to me that it’s a pointless exercise. Most toys for little ones that age will be grown out of within the year, passed on to other children or broken/binned. Besides the fact they have tons of toys anyway. I would love to be brave enough to say: “I’m not buying presents until they’re older” but I’m not. Instead I’ve decided that every auntie needs an eccentricity and mine it going to be that I will buy books for birthdays and Christmas until they’re 18. Tah-dah! And I bought two really wonderful books today (though don’t tell the boys!) I was actually going to write a column on just this thing but you’ve beaten me to it! xx

I think there’s a sensible approach to buying for babies. Just because they don’t understand the concept of a gift doesn’t mean you can’t buy and give a present which will benefit them and their parents in some way. I have been buying presents at every opportunity for my niece and best friend’s wee boy who are only a few weeks apart. Last Christmas, they were only one and I bought the boy some bath-time toys and I bought my niece a moneybox, for her parents to save money for her.

I don’t see the point in going overboard with presents for a baby as it does seem like a massive waste of money. However, if I was a parent, I don’t think I’d have the courage to say to friends and grandparents: “No presents, please. Wait until they’re older.”

Buying gifts for babies is more an opportunity to spoil (in a nice way) the new bundle of joy! With my neices I would never have left them out and as they were the only wee ones in the family, it’s what made Christmas, Christmas.

Yes, they probably won’t have a clue what’s going on but who knows how long your gift will stay with them…my first Xmas I got a cuddly toy (a duck, called duck) that I still have 32 years later – his feet and wings have been replaced, he’s had a new hat made and had to have more than one eye transplant🙂 I may not remember opening the gift but no one can say he wasn’t a good one!

We’ve all got one like this, a teddy called Bogie for my next brother up and funnily enough, another duck for my oldest brother! Neice has a bunny that goes everywhere, we (aunt and uncle) tried to get her obsesswith with a singing Elmo just to wind my brother up, didn’t work.

“deserve” is a weird word. don’t like the theory that children deserve loads of prezzies simply because it is Christmas. I bought R a little keyboard thing months ago… and will wrap and put under tree. that’s all she’s getting from me. I actually enjoy the idea of 1 present from Santa and 1 from Mummy and Daddy that she really wants.. for the future. Her grandparents on the other hand…..